Summer is for Exploring the Great Outdoors
It’s not quite spring, but we’re already excited about summer camp! Summer is the perfect time to experience all the magnificence of the outdoors that Chattanooga has to offer. Our mountains, forests, and streams set the backdrop for incredible summer adventures. Spending time outside naturally boosts physical and mental health and increases creativity! We fully believe that the outdoors is the best playground. As a leader of outdoor recreation, Chattanooga hosts a number of camps that engage children’s innate curiosity.
We’ve compiled a list of local, week-long day camps that introduce young explorers to nature. Check out these camps below that answer the call of the wild, and may you never hear “I’m bored” from your kids this summer!
Summer Camp at Reflection Riding
At our very own Reflection Riding Summer Camp, summer is for muddy shoes and wild adventures! Campers will enjoy outdoor activities, including wildlife encounters, hands-on nature discovery, hiking, and exploration across 300+ acres of forest, wetlands, and grasslands located at the base of Lookout Mountain, 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga.
Camp Ivy
Camp Ivy, hosted by Ivy Academy, advances environmental stewardship and offers campers a range of outdoor adventures, including the opportunity to create art in nature, meet farm friends, and leave with some dirt under their nails. Camp Ivy happens at Ivy Academy in Soddy Daisy.
Wauhatchie Forest School Summer Camp
The Wauhatchie Forest School Summer Camp will immerse campers in nature while engaging in various art projects, stories, tree climbing, critter finding, and nature walks. There are two outdoor camp locations based on age: Audubon Acres, a nature sanctuary bisected by the South Chickamauga Creek in Chattanooga and Quail Run Farm, a 120-acre regenerative farm on the border of Tennessee and Georgia.
Chattanooga Audubon Society’s Junior Explorer Camp
Chattanooga Audubon Society’s Junior Explorer Camp is for nature lovers! Campers will learn outdoor skills, meet animal friends, play games, and spend lots of time splashing in the creek. Junior Explorer Camp is located in Chattanooga's oldest wildlife sanctuary, Audubon Acres, along South Chickamauga Creek.
Squeaky Boots Hiking Summer Camp
Squeaky Boots Hiking Summer Camp teaches campers to adventure confidently and get curious about nature through hiking, exploring local flora and fauna, and learning more about their relationship with nature. Younger campers will hike Enterprise South Nature Park, and older campers will meet at Coolidge Park and explore a new trail system each day.
Our city is bursting with opportunities that will inspire and ignite young explorers! Register for summer camp today, and watch your child discover a love for the outdoors!
